George Addleton

40

Sandie McKoy on 14th October 2022

Note: I would like this story to replace the one I entered in 2013. George was born in 1815 at Loughborough, Leicestershire, England to parents William Addleton (a hatter) and Elizabeth Wardle [1]. He was baptised on 1 August 1815 at All Saints Parish Church, Loughborough [2]. George has trouble with the law George grew up at Loughborough and wasn't far from trouble with the law. He had the following convictions early in life: 13 Sep 1831: was was committed to Newgate Prison for stealing a purse and money off a man at Palace Yard [3]. 4 Aug 1832: George was charged with stealing a purse from Mr J Morris at May Fait. He was held at the Borough Gaol. I’m not sure if he was found guilty or acquitted [4]. 20 June 1833: George was charged by George Creswell with pulling the spikes off the local workhouse. He was found guilty and fined [5]. 8 August 1833: George was charged with keeping the peace towards Jonathon Spittlefield for 3 months, fined a 5-pound surety and ordered to pay costs [6]. 17 January 1834: Charge 1) Fined and ordered to pay costs for trespassing in pursuit of game on the grounds of C. J. Parke Esq with 4 others. As he couldn’t afford the fine, he undertook two months of imprisonment. Charge 2) Ordered to stand trial for stealing various articles from the beer house of John Caldwell at Loughborough [7]. George marries Mary Newman He married Mary Newman on 21 August 1835 at All Saints, Loughborough, Leicester[8]. They had two children. Both were born at Loughborough and baptised at the All Saint’s Church, Loughborough. George was born in 1836 and was baptised on 20 December 1836 [9] and Ann was born in 1839 and baptised on 22 June 1839 [10]. Despite now having a family, George's crimes continued. 12 Aug 1836: Whilst Mary was pregnant, George and another man were charged with assaulting Ann Newman [11] who was related to his wife Mary (probably her mother or sister). He was ordered to pay a fine to the poor box. Ann had been a witness at his wedding to Mary. 15 October 1838: George was tried at the Leicester County Session, found guilty of Larceny (stealing ale and some broken victuals and a piece of lead) and sentenced to be imprisoned for 12 months [12]. Sentenced to transportation on the same day was William Wardle who was probably George's cousin. Another conviction resulting in goal time during his time in England included being jailed for 1 month for neglect of his family [13]. 23 April 1840: George and four other men were charged with stealing lead from Henry Pares of Loughborough and a large amount of iron belonging to the railway company[14]. George is sentenced to be transported to Van Diemen's Land 29 Jun 1840: Finally, George's luck had run out. He was convicted at Leicestershire Quarter Sessions of "Larceny before being convicted of felony" (receiving a stolen lead pipe) and sentenced to transportation to Van Diemen's Land for 14 years. He was received onto the prison hulk Warrior to await his departure [15]. He departed on the Convict ship Asia on 12th April 1841 at Plymouth [16]. On the transport records, a James Fitzherbert was convicted with him. The ship's surgeon noted that George was very industrious and of good behaviour on the trip. The ship arrived 21 August 1841 after 126 days at sea [17]. Life in Van Diemen’s Land (Australia) During the time George was at Tasmania, he lived at Norfolk Plains – also called Longford. According to Probation records, he lived at the Lovely Banks Probation Station for a short period of time and was on probation for 18 months. He was probably involved in providing labour to build roads and bridges in the area. In 1846, George was with Mr Wilson at Longford (Norfolk Plains). He was a 3rd Class Pass. George’s criminal behaviour continues George was in trouble several times resulting in punishments such as solitary confinement. He was absent from his place of residence and out after hours. The following are stories that were in the newspapers: The Cornwall Chronicle (Launceston, Tas: 1835 - 1880) Saturday 7 August 1847: George was charged by the Chief Constable with being drunk and disorderly at Mr, Suter's public house. George was “sent to up-hill work on the grinder for twenty-one days”. The Cornwall Chronicle (Launceston, Tas: 1835 - 1880) Tuesday 15 October 1850: George was charged by Chief District Constable Mr. James Hortle, with larceny under the value of £5, in stealing 1 1b tobacco, 1 pint of rum, and 1 knife, the property of William Nun. He had robbed a man who was in service to William Archer Esq. The same man who his future wife Sarah Skate's was in service to as a convict. George obtains a Ticket of Leave In 1849, he obtained a ticket of leave and was recommended for a Conditional Pardon [18]. George applies for his family to come to Tasmania According to Tasmanian Government records, at some point, George made an application for his family to come out to Tasmania. They didn’t do this – I’m not sure if his application was rejected or his family decided not to come. I can’t access the original document but the record is GO33/1/64 p178. George is granted a conditional pardon George was granted a conditional pardon in Tasmania in 1851 [19]. After this, he travelled to Victoria in 1853 [20] and 1854 [21]. George meets Sarah Skates George and Sarah were both living in Longford at the time they met. Sarah was the daughter of a convict – Joel Skates, and both Joel and George lived at Longford during the same time period. I believe they were together from 1853 (Sarah was 15 and George 38). Joel applied for his family to immigrate to Tasmania to live with him, and they arrived in 1847 [22]. Joel died in 1853 [23] but his wife Ann had already moved on with another convict Michael Connor. Sarah and her brother Joel were supported by Ann and Michael after Joel died. Around the time that Sarah and her family arrived in Tasmania, the anti-transportation movement was reaching fever pitch. Families immigrating to Tasmania and related to convicts were in the lower classes and many were desperate to dissociate themselves from their convict connection. Many moved to other states in Australia and did things like change the spelling of their names to remove the connection. Many also moved to Victoria in this time period due to the Gold Rush and also because there was a recession in Launceston. There was little available employment due to convicts taking up labouring positions. George receives his Ticket of Freedom In 1854 George received his certificate of Freedom. This enabled him to now move to Victoria and start a new life. George moves to Victoria George and Sarah made the decision to move to Victoria. They travelled to Melbourne on 24 April 1854 via the ship Clarence and settled at Moonee Ponds. Here George found work as a labourer and Sarah as a servant. Sarah had a baby at Longford around 1854. No birth record exists. It is possible that George was the father of James, but James didn't take the Addleton surname once George and Sarah married. James is listed on their daughter Annie's birth certificate as being born to George and Sarah in 1853. George marries Sarah Skates George married Sarah on 21 August 1855 at the Essendon Manse, Essendon [24]. Sarah gave birth to Annie Eleanor Addleton on 23 October 1858 at Moonee Ponds [25]. The marriage with Sarah didn't last and by the time little Annie died from dysentery at Indented Head Victoria in 1860 [26], they were living apart. Sarah stayed with her mother and stepfather Thomas Smith at Moonee Ponds and George lived at Indented Head with Annie and probably James. Sarah abandons George and James Some time between Annie dying in January 1860 and October 1860, Sarah abandoned George and her son James and moved to Wagga Wagga, NSW to be with her brother. She fell pregnant around August 1860 and the father is unknown. On the child's birth certificate in May 1861, the son was listed as being illegitimate and that she hadn't seen George for around 2-years [27]. James was left behind - his story is uncertain and I'm not sure if he was left with George. The State Ward records suggests it may have been his father, as on the records it states ‘living parents - father’ and there is no mention of Sarah. On 20 January 1865, the Melbourne courts placed James into the Immigrants’ Aid Society (IAS) at Princes Bridge, St Kilda Road Victoria [28]. He would have been 10 or 11 years old. He was placed there under the 1864 Neglected and Criminal Children's Act for a term of 5 years. Many children were placed there at this time due to neglect or abandonment by their fathers when they left to search for gold or employment. He was later transferred to the Sunbury Industrial School, which was notorious for being overcrowded and unsanitary. He completed an apprenticeship as a tailor and then moved to Wagga to be with Sarah sometime between 1875 – 1879. We may never know who James’ real father was but there is a possibility it was George. The next record I can find of George after 1865 is him living at the Bucks Head Hotel, Drysdale. He was featured in a story as a witness to a crime in the Geelong Advertiser [29]. George died on 16 Aug 1873 at Bellarine, Victoria - only 9kms from Indented Head where he was living with Annie and James in 1860. His death certificate is a sad reflection of his life in later years. The age on the certificate is wrong - 68 instead of 58. He died from Pneumonia which he had had for 10 days and he had been working as a labourer. His parents, marriages and children weren't listed on the certificate [30]. George was buried at the Bellarine Cemetery on the same day as his death. There was no clergyman present. No gravestone marks where George is buried, nor is there one for little Annie. Written by Sandie McKoy - direct descendent of Sarah Skates. Sources 1: England, Select Births and Christenings, 1538-1975 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2014. FHL Film Number: 592570, 592571, 592572 2: Leicestershire Baptisms. Record Office for Leicestershire, Leicester & Rutland. Archive reference DE667/6. Page 51. Find My Past. 3: UK, Police Gazettes, 1812-1902, 1921-1927 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2016. 4: Leicester Chronicle 4 August 1832, Find My Past 5: Leicester Journal 21 June 1833 6: Nottingham Review and General Advertiser for the Midland Counties 9 August 1833 7: Nottingham Review and General Advertiser for the Midland Counties 17 January 1834. 8: Leicestershire Marriages. Record Office for Leicestershire, Leicester & Rutland. Record Office for Leicestershire, Leicester & Rutland. Archive reference DE667/16. Find My Past website 9: Leicestershire Baptisms, Record Office for Leicestershire, Leicester & Rutland. Archive reference DE667/8, Page 9. Find My Past. 10: Leicestershire Baptisms, Record Office for Leicestershire, Leicester & Rutland. Archive reference DE667/9, Page 38. Find My Past. 11: Nottingham Review and General Advertiser for the Midland Counties 12 August 1836 12: Leicestershire Mercury 20 October 1838 13: Tasmania Convict FAS Records 14: Leicester Journal 24 April 1840 15: Home Office: Convict Prison Hulks: Registers and Letter Books; Class: HO9; Piece: 12 16: Australian Convict Transportation Registers – Other Fleets & Ships, 1791-1868 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2007 17: Tasmania Convict FAS Records 18: The Cornwall Chronicle (Launceston, Tas. : 1835 - 1880) Saturday 21 July 1849. 19: The Cornwall Chronicle (Launceston, Tas.: 1835 - 1880) Saturday 8 March 1851 20: George departed on the ship Yarra Yarra and arrived in Melbourne. Tasmania LINC. Record ID: NAME_INDEXES:515867. Resource: POL220/1/3 p126 21: George departed on the ship Lady Bird and arrived in Melbourne. Tasmania LINC. Record ID: NAME_INDEXES:515867. Resource: POL220/1/3 p126 22: Archives Office of Tasmania; Tasmania, Australia; Reports of ships arrivals with lists of passengers; Film Number: SLTX/AO/MB/4; Series Number: MB2/39/1/11 23: Copy of death certificate. Died from Paralysis. Tasmanian Government Records. Registration Number: RGD35/1/22 no 982 24: marriage certificate purchased by Sandie McKoy 25: Birth certificate purchased by Sandie Mckoy 26: death certificate purchased by Sandie McKoy 27: birth certificate purchased by Sandie McKoy 28: Victoria, Australia, Index to the Children's Registers of State Wards, 1850 -1893 29: Geelong Advertiser (Vic. : 1859 - 1926) Monday 26 August 1872 p 3 Article 30: death certificate purchased by Sandie McKoy

19

Sandie McKoy on 14th February 2013

GEORGE ADDLETON Written by Sandie McKoy, felix_48@hotmail.com Parents: George was born to William Addleton and Elizabeth Wardle (Evidence: Baptism Certificate and Marriage Certificate- William was a Hatter by trade) Birth: George was born in Loughborough, Leicestershire, England around 1815 (Evidence: Baptism Certificate, Marriage Certificate, Death Certificate). Baptism: He was baptised at the All Saints Church, Loughborough, 1 August 1815 (Evidence: Baptism Certificate). Criminal Past According to Tasmanian Convict Records: once for lead 12 mths; once for ale and some broken victuals 12 mths; once 2 mths for trespass; once 1 mth for neglect of family 1834: George was tried at Epiphany, Leicester for Larcency and was acquitted. 1834: George was tried at Midsummer, Leicester for Larcency (stealing lead) and was sentenced to prison for 12 months. First Marriage: He was married to Mary Newman on 21 August 1835 at All Saints, Loughborough, Leicester (Evidence: England, Marriages, 1538–1973). Children: they had George in 1836 (evidence: England, Births and Christenings, 1538-1975 and 1841 Census Records)and then Ann in either 1838 or 1839 (Source- 1841 Census records). 15 October 1838: George was tried at the Leicester County Session, found guilty of Larcency (stealing ale and some broken victuals) and sentenced to imprisonment for 12 months. Also sentenced to transportation on the same day was William Wardle who was probably George's cousin. Prior convictions also include- once 2 mths for trespass; once 1 mth for neglect of family (source- Tasmania Convict FAS Records) Transported to Van Diemens Land 26 Jun 1840: Convicted at Leicestershire Quarter Sessions of "Larcency before being convicted of felony" (receiving a stolen lead pipe) and sentenced to transportation to Van Diemens Land for 14 years. He departed on the Convict ship Asia on 12th April, 1841 at Plymouth. On the transport records, a James Fitzherbert was convicted with him. The ship's surgeon noted that George was very industrious and of good behaviour on the trip. The ship arrived 21 August 1841 after 126 days at sea (source- Tasmania Convict FAS Records) In 1846, George was with Mr Wilson at Longford (Norfolk Plains). He was a 3rd Class Pass. The Cornwall Chronicle (Launceston, Tas. : 1835 - 1880) Saturday 7 August 1847 George Addleton and Daniel Campbell, two pass holders, were charged by the Chief Constable with being drunk and disorderly at Mr, Suter's public house yesterday afternoon. Addleton admitted being there, but said he was not drunk, and Campbell denied being at Suter's house at all, and said that he was not drunk. Two constables swore to having seen both the prisoners on Mr. Suter's premises, and that they were drunk and disorderly. They were both seen to go away over a fence at the back of Mr. Suter's house, but were pursued and taken into custody. Both were sent to up-hill work on the grinder for twenty-one days. In 1849, he had obtained a ticket of leave. The Cornwall Chronicle (Launceston, Tas. : 1835 - 1880) Saturday 21 July 1849 & Launceston Examiner (Tas. : 1842 - 1899) Wednesday 25 July 1849: George was recommended for a Conditional Pardon The Cornwall Chronicle (Launceston, Tas. : 1835 - 1880) Tuesday 15 October 1850 MONDAY, OCTOBER 7- George Addleton, t. l., charged by Chief District Constable Mr. James Hortle, with larceny under the value of £5, in stealing 1 1b tobacco, 1 pint of rum, and 1 knife, the property of Wm. Nun. Prisoner was defended by Mr. Solicitor H. J. Hookey, who pleaded 'not guilty.' Wm. Nun sworn saith - I am free and work for Mr. W. Archer; I was at Longford yesterday forenoon at Mr. Cox's ; I saw the prisoner ; I cannot say where, it was somewhere at the back of the township ; he came up to me and he and I walked along talking together ; he shoved me down and took out of my pocket a knife, half a pound of tobacco, and a bottle with a pint of rum in it; I reported the robbery to the watch house keeper directly I got down to the watch house. Examined by Mr. Hookey. - I left my home on Saturday night ; I had been drinking on Sunday morning, the robbery I think took place before church time ; I can't say what time it was when I got to the watch house ; I was taken in custody for being drunk; I was the worse for liquor ; after 1 was robbed I had nothing to drink ; I pleaded guilty this morning to the charge of drunkenness ; it was not half an hour after I was robbed when I was taken into custody. Examined by Mr. Hortle. - I don't know Everett's place I had not seen the prisoner before that morning ; I did not mention having been robbed till I got to the watch house. Wm. Wright sworn. - I can't say whether I saw Nun yesterday ; I saw the prisoner near McGonan's; I spoke to a man named Everett ; saw two men wrestling together ; 1 cannot swear I saw any thing; taken out of Nun's pocket. Constable Wm . East saith . - I am watch house keeper ; I know the prisoner, also Wm. Everett ; Nun reported a robbery to me at the watch house yesterday ; he said 'that big George had shoved him down and robbed him' ; called Mr. Hortle and told him of it ; Nun was drunk when he reported the robbery, but knew what he was about. Remanded for evidence of Everett. TUESDAY, OCTOBER 8. George Addleton's trial as above stated resumed. Thomas Everett sworn, saith - I am free, and reside at Longford ; I have seen the prisoner before I cannot say that I know him ; I think I saw him last Sunday, at 3 o'clock - George, I think he is called I don't know what other name he goes by ; I saw him at 3 o'clock ; 1 wouldn't swear I saw him before ; I went by the watch-house ; I went to the Watch-house ; 1 think I saw the watch-house-keeper ; I asked him if an old man had come in with a blue shirt on - he said yes, the man had told him he had been robbed in a public place of a bottle of rum ; I said that was a daring robbery ; he said they had taken the old man's money, for he had taken 17s. 6d. from him; he said do you know who the man is that was with him ; I said it was a man that, at one time worked for Mr. French ; he asked me if it was not that big George ; I could not swear that the prisoner is the man I saw with the old man ; he was 500 yards from me ; I never knew prisoner worked for, Mr. French; I said it was a bare faccd robbery, after the constable had told me how it was done ; I did not tell the constable I had seen the man robbed ; I did not tell Mr. Hortle so : I did not tell Mr Hortle I had seen the man take a paper out of the old man's pocket; I could'nt swear that I did not say I would come into the office whenever I was wanted; I did not tell the watch-house-keeper to go for Mr. Hortle ; I have not seen any person to talk about this case ; I never mentioned anything about a white paper, I said that the man who was rolling with the old man, picked up what looked to me to be a brown paper parcel, and walked awav with it. By Mr. Hookway. - I did not see Mr. Hortle yesterday; I saw him on Sunday night; he served me with a subpoena yesterday ; he asked me at the time, how far it was to where the men were rolling ; I said 500 yards ; he said he did not think it was so far ; I measured it last night ; the big man had on a big coat, the other a blue shirt ; I saw them stripping to fight, &c. A great many more questions were put to this witness to shake his evidence, which, as it was for the prosecution, caused a break-down to the case, which was dismissed, and the prisoner discharged. The Cornwall Chronicle (Launceston, Tas. : 1835 - 1880) Saturday 8 March 1851 George was granted a conditional pardon in Tasmania in 1851 Move to Victoria George travelled back and forth to Victoria before moving their permanently. He travelled there on the following dates- the last being the date he probably moved and he was listed as being free- 31 Mar 1853 (Yarra Yarra), 10 Dec 1853 (Yarra Yarra), 8 Feb 1854 (Lady Bird), and 24 Apr 1854 (Clarence). Source: Tasmanian Government State Archives. In 1954 George received his certificate of Freedom and moved to Victoria to start a new life- probably trying to escape his convict past. He settled at Moonee Ponds Farm and met Sarah Ann Skates/ Skeats. Second Marriage: Sarah and George married in 1855 at Essendon (evidence- Marriage Certificate) which was just next to Moonee Ponds. Their marriage certificate reveals that both George and Sarah were literate. George is listed as being 37, however he was actually 40 years old. They were married according to the rites of the Church of Scotland. Witnesses to their marriage were Sarah's brother Joseph and also Susannah Jenkinson. Susannah was probably the same girl that Sarah's brother Joseph abducted later in October that year and lived as man and wife with which saw him imprisoned for 12 months (she was only 14 years old and he was 25). Perhaps Sarah was a servant for Susannah's father John at Moonee Ponds Farm and they became good friends. George was recorded as being a Bachelor on the certificate, and there was no mention of his wife and children back in England. Children They had Annie Eleanor 23 Oct 1858 at Essendon (Evidence- Birth Certificate). Annie was Baptised 13 March 1859 (Evidence- Baptism records on Family Search) and the family then moved to Bellarine, Victoria. Sadly, Annie died on 27 January 1860 of Dysentry which she had had for 2 months and she was buried at Bellarine Cemetery on the 29th (Evidence- Death Certificate). Sarah then abandoned George and moved to Wagga Divorce? I can find no evidence that George and Sarah ever divorced. She took on her new husband William's last name, however I can find no evidence of their marriage. Sarah's death certificate doesn't even mention George- the only marriage stated is to William. Death: George's death certificate is a sad reflection of his life in later years. The age on the certificate is wrong - 68 instead of 58. He died from Pneumonia which he had had for 10 days and he had been working as a labourer. There is very little on his death certificate- in the section for his parents, marriage details and children- it is written 'Not Known'. I can't decipher the death informant but below is written 'Particulars of the house where deceased died' and the town of Drysdale is written below. There was no clergyman at his funeral and witness were Thomas Collins and James ??.